Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Thursday, October 1, 2026
‘Verity’ Tracks Toward $35 Million Debut as ‘Digger’ Faces $12 Million Start
Verity, Amazon MGM’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller, is targeting a domestic debut of $30 million to $35 million from 3,510 theaters this weekend, Variety reports, which would give Anne Hathaway her third No. 1 opening of the year after The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Odyssey. Tom Cruise and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Digger is projected to open with $12 million to $15 million from 3,300 screens. Warner Bros. greenlit Digger at $125 million; four sources told Variety the budget climbed to $160 million to $180 million, which a Warner Bros. spokesperson disputes. Experts say a film that size needs a debut near $40 million.
Warner Bros. Answers ‘Digger’ Critics With “Decide for Yourself” Ad
Warner Bros. is leaning into the divided critical reaction to Digger with an online ad introduced by the line “Decide for yourself.” The spot opens with a critic quote calling the film “an ambitious film sure to polarize audiences” before Tom Cruise’s character answers with an expletive aimed at “those people.” Contrasting critic words then flash on screen, pairing “Unpleasant” with “Masterpiece” and “Baffling” with “Brilliant.” The ad, posted by Warner Bros. on September 29, went live before the review embargo lifted Tuesday. The $125 million Alejandro G. Iñárritu production held a 53 percent positive Rotten Tomatoes rating across 113 reviews and opens Friday, Oct. 2.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Netflix Plans Broad Global Theatrical Release for ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Sequel
Netflix is planning a “big, broad, global” theatrical release for the KPop Demon Hunters sequel, expected in 2029, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said at Bloomberg’s Screentime on Wednesday night. The original amassed 325.1M views in its first 90 days on Netflix, and its singalong version grossed an estimated $19M over two days in theaters. Sarandos said Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew and Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory will also get big wide releases. Narnia, Charlie and La Bola Negra are getting 50-, 47- and 46-day theatrical windows, while Cliff Booth and Mosquito Bowl get 27 and 26 days. Netflix will report box office on those films for the first time.
Former Mattel Chief Ynon Kreiz Named Co-CEO of Merged Paramount-WBD
Paramount CEO David Ellison announced that former Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz will join the company as co-CEO, effective at the closing of its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, which is expected next week, Adweek reports. Ellison will remain chairman and CEO, focusing on long-term strategy, talent relationships, strategic partnerships, technology and capital allocation, while Kreiz handles day-to-day management and joins the board. Kreiz starts Oct. 5. Separately, Paramount+ head Cindy Holland is exiting ahead of the merger, and HBO head Casey Bloys will run streaming for the combined company. Ellison called the combination “a transformational moment for our industry.”
Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson and Theater Chiefs Tout 2026 Box Office Rebound
Lionsgate motion picture group chair Adam Fogelson said there will always be voices “loudly shouting at you that you’re making a horrible mistake,” reflecting on Michael, now the highest-grossing biopic of all time and the first to cross $1 billion worldwide. Speaking at TheWrap’s TheGrill conference Wednesday, Fogelson joined AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron and Regal CEO Eduardo Acuna on a panel about the 2026 rebound, with the domestic box office on pace for $10.5 billion-plus. On the Paramount-Warner merger, Acuna said he is “cautiously optimistic,” while Fogelson pointed to A24 and the self-distributed Iron Lung as reasons for optimism.
Neon Counters A24 With Open-Source ‘SCP Foundation’ Movie
Neon is developing a rival SCP Foundation movie that it describes as an “open-source horror project,” slated for release in theaters against A24’s version next year, Deadline reports. A24’s acquisition of an SCP film from Spooky Pictures and Image Nation Studios earlier this month drew concerns from the SCP Foundation Wiki Licensing Team about a studio claiming exclusive rights to community-generated IP. Neon has committed to releasing its film and related materials under the Creative Commons CC BY-SA license, allowing others to copy, share, screen and adapt it, even commercially, with credit. Development began before A24’s announcement, and Neon has been in communication with the SCP Wiki team.
Sony Dates ‘Treasure Island’ and ‘24 Jump Street’ for Late 2027
Sony set a slate of release dates Wednesday as exhibitors gathered for Cinema United’s Fall Summit. Ridley Scott’s Treasure Island, starring Hugh Jackman as Long John Silver, will open November 11, 2027, while 24 Jump Street, reuniting Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Ice Cube, lands December 10, 2027. Sony also dated its TIFF acquisition The Surgeon, starring Michelle Yeoh, for April 2 and the drama Narcs for August 20 next year. Takashi Yamazaki’s Grandgear moves to January 14, 2028, and the PlayStation adaptation Helldivers shifts from November 10, 2027, to June 9, 2028, because Treasure Island goes into production first.
‘Project Hail Mary’ Opens Awards Push With SFFILM Science Prize
Amazon MGM Studios is reviving its awards push for Project Hail Mary, the Phil Lord and Chris Miller film released in March, with planned fall screenings and tastemaker events, IndieWire reports. San Francisco’s SFFILM, with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, will present the film with its Sloan Science in Cinema award at a screening on October 28 in San Francisco. The event will feature a conversation with Lord, Miller, screenwriter Drew Goddard and members of the effects and sound teams. The Ryan Gosling film grossed $684 million at the box office, and IndieWire calls it Amazon MGM’s most potent Best Picture vehicle to date.
FX Releases ‘The Lowdown’ Season 2 Trailer Ahead of Oct. 14 Premiere
FX has released the season two trailer for The Lowdown, Sterlin Harjo’s critically hailed series starring Ethan Hawke as Lee Raybon. The new season puts Lee into a Tulsa investigation that he describes as involving “two confirmed murders and the whole sheriff’s department.” He is drawn into the case by Ginger (Betty Gilpin), a public defender dealing with a mystery involving one of her clients, while his estranged father, Lee Sr. (Tommy Lee Jones), returns. Martha Plimpton guest stars, and FX advises viewers to watch for familiar faces from Reservation Dogs. Season two premieres Oct. 14 with two episodes on FX and Hulu.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Prime Video Sets February Premiere for ‘Barbershop’ Series, Releases First Look
Prime Video has set February 10 as the premiere date for Barbershop, a comedy series inspired by the film franchise, launching all eight episodes in more than 240 countries and territories. The streamer also released two first-look photos. Jermaine Fowler stars as Travis “Trav” Walker, who returns to Chicago hoping to honor his grandfather’s legacy at the iconic Calvin’s barbershop. The cast includes Brett Gray, Punkie Johnson and Roy Wood Jr. Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat is among the producers, and original film co-writer Marshall Todd serves as co-showrunner. The four-film franchise, which began with 2002’s Barbershop, grossed over $235 million worldwide.
Domestic Box Office Top 20
Weekend of September 25–27, 2026 · Source: Box Office Mojo
| # | Title | Released | Weekend | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avengers Endgame: Encore (2026 Re-release) | Sep 25, 2026 | $26,106,643 | $26,106,643 |
| 2 | Resident Evil | Sep 18, 2026 | $23,012,848 | $103,189,095 |
| 3 | Heart of the Beast | Sep 25, 2026 | $20,042,473 | $20,042,473 |
| 4 | Primetime | Sep 25, 2026 | $19,197,764 | $19,197,764 |
| 5 | Forgotten Island | Sep 25, 2026 | $13,007,005 | $13,007,005 |
| 6 | Practical Magic 2 | Sep 11, 2026 | $5,600,274 | $59,762,967 |
| 7 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Jul 31, 2026 | $4,054,489 | $950,637,311 |
| 8 | The Odyssey | Jul 17, 2026 | $3,802,065 | $616,623,710 |
| 9 | Coyote vs. Acme | Aug 28, 2026 | $1,915,685 | $58,393,726 |
| 10 | Daniel and the Fiery Furnace | Sep 18, 2026 | $1,540,161 | $6,229,247 |
| 11 | Princess Mononoke (Studio Ghibli Fest 2026) | Sep 26, 2026 | $847,515 | $847,515 |
| 12 | Runner | Sep 11, 2026 | $798,889 | $13,830,071 |
| 13 | Insidious: Out of the Further | Aug 21, 2026 | $735,312 | $65,173,475 |
| 14 | Buddy | Aug 28, 2026 | $697,411 | $26,359,915 |
| 15 | Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom | Sep 18, 2026 | $418,370 | $2,820,170 |
| 16 | The Paradise | Sep 24, 2026 | $407,343 | $2,039,287 |
| 17 | The History of Concrete | Sep 18, 2026 | $384,059 | $545,280 |
| 18 | Hanuman Ansh | Sep 11, 2026 | $301,304 | $2,332,308 |
| 19 | PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie | Aug 14, 2026 | $239,182 | $52,902,179 |
| 20 | Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! | Sep 25, 2026 | $219,700 | $219,700 |
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency